Kindergarten children learn philosophy. A class in the Paris region experimented over two years with the creation of a philosophy workshop. Every month, the children engage in dialogues on topics or concepts in a very free manner.
The brilliant idea for this documentary came to producer Cilvy Aupin when she heard Michel Onfray state, “All children are philosophers, only some remain so.” Cilvy Aupin then approached her partner, director Jean-Pierre Pozzi, to make the film. He suggested the name of another director, Pierre Barougier, with whom he had already worked.
Despite having a modest production with no pronounced artistic effect, this documentary remains profound, touching, and funny. The always discreet cameras reveal an original and unique experiment. Certainly a challenging but surprising experiment that shows these children’s ability to think, dialogue, and exchange ideas on serious topics such as death, freedom, and love…
A first: philosophy in kindergarten
The experience is a first for this philosophy-oriented workshop offered in this kindergarten class in Val-de-Marne. It was attempted for two years at a ZEP (priority education zone) school in Mée-sur-Seine. The challenge is significant because it is precisely in kindergarten that language acquisition and the meaning of speech are crucial. The words of these little ones are free, relevant, and sometimes very personal: “Does having children make you happy?” “The soul is something invisible and blue.” Through these exchanges, a genuine educational project is being developed: awakening critical thinking.
A real progression and openness to the world:
The documentary perfectly shows the evolution of these children’s thinking from one year to the next. The children thus progress from hesitation and silence to animated debates the following year. They have understood the concept, disagree on certain subjects, and try to argue their thoughts.
Some do not hesitate to assert their points of view and stand out from their peers. One little girl talks about her disabled father, “He loves me like I love him. He loves me as I am, I love him as he is.” But this documentary also shows that philosophy does not stop at school; the work continues at home, impacting the children and their families.
Impressive and encouraging results for the future of our children. Let’s hope the experience is renewed in many other schools!
At a time when teaching philosophy from the second year (of high school) is being suggested, this film shows that you can start much earlier.
Go see this film and you’ll see that sometimes it’s the smallest who ask the biggest questions.
